Ash
by JustAnOrdinaryWriter
Summary: You thought MLP was all sunshine and rainbows? Ha, not this story. It's set in an entirely different Equestia, where the kingdom is ruled in dark times and a recently ended war has brought humans under the enslavement of ponies. Ash, a teenage slave that was captured and raised in an underground fighting ring oversteps his bounds and soon finds his fate at the hands of someone new.
1. Ash's Last Bout

Chapter 1

"Eob! Eob! Eob!"

The wild cries of the crowd thundered and echoed around the enclosed cavernous dome that encompassed what B03 had come to call home. Rusty iron chains scratched at his wrists with every step he took, slowly making his way towards the wooden bars that separated him from the bloodthirsty audience. Irritatingly chipped and irregular bits of pebble littered the floor, scuffing up against the soles of his feet. The damp smell of moss and moisture invaded his nostrils, giving off an unsettling odor that to this day, he'd never gotten used to. Probably because he could detect the faint, almost indistinguishable scent hidden underneath everything else in this wretched cave. Blood, sweat, and human excrement.

What a hellish place to call home.

"Well, if it isn't everyone's favorite human eh?" The deep, sarcastic tone of Bruce Bardus chuckled from beside the gate. "Whaddya say we spice things up a bit with this here match, huh?" The warden said, giving him a hard clop on the back, his hoof penetrating through the rags that served as a horrible excuse for clothing. B03 grunted, the sharp ringed edges leaving a lingering sting as they left his skin. Bardus laughed as B03 heard the unmistakable ring and ting of magic being performed. On cue, the gate in front of him groaned and creaked, slowly beginning its ascension. "Good luck, Eob." He snorted, chuckling as he called him by that damn nickname he'd been given by the many frequenters of these unorthodox events.

Nevertheless, he walked out from the tunnel's exit, the loud cheers of approval from his audience almost masking the sound of the gate slamming shut behind him. His fingers curled into tight ball, his fingertips digging into the hardened skin of his palms. This was not due to the unspoken discontent he harbored against his observers, he'd already dismissed the use of being angry with them. There was no point in it anymore. Instead, he did this to dispel the tension away from his limbs, trying to relax them and prepare for the confrontation that was to come.

He was the underdog, a newcomer to this atrocity they dared to call a game. It wasn't hard to see why. His frame was better than most of the other inmates that shared this terrible existence with him, his body mass slim and dwarfed by the oversize rags he wore, but not around long enough to become malnourished and twig-like like the rest of the poor souls he was tossed in with when he arrived. He too himself had already begun to suffer minor weight loss. Unlike most of the others though, it was by his own choice. They needed as much food as he could give them and the only way to get what was considered a good ration size was by doing well here. In the arena.

The crowd had since died down a bit and he took the opportunity to tune in on their hushed chatter. "Fifty bits says that he won't last three minutes against the champ." He heard one of the crowd members say.

"You're on." Another one chimed in, accepting the insulting bet. "He's an agile little punk. He'll probably last longer than that!"

"Have you seen the game master's champion? He makes even the tallest of these humans seem small." A third voice countered, joining in on the other two's argument. "It doesn't matter how quick he is. These humans hardly have the endurance of a frilly. He'll tire out and end up like the rest of those who've fought against Igor. Squashed. A hundred bits says he won't last two."

So, that was it then. They'd finally had enough of him. He'd heard plenty of rumors about the champion fighter called Igor from his fellow cellmates. The few that were given the mercy to be spared by the ogre of a kid recounted their battles with him in great detail. He was a teenager, taller than everyone else by at least a foot and as thick as an oak tree. It's said he had been torn away from his mother by one of the slavers here and then raised by them to be their greatest fighting machine. Strong, emotionless, and barbaric in nature, much like the guards that kept them all here. He did not sympathize with his own race and instead condemned them just as much as their animal captors did, never hesitating to kill anyone he was pitted against if he was allowed. The people here that normally bet on which of them would be the victor in these disgusting battles did not do so when a match was made with Igor. They only wagered on how long the other would survive against him.

Despite this knowledge, he felt no fear. Not even when the gate across from him was lifted and the lumbering behemoth stomped his way onto the arena floor. The crowd roared and bellowed at his entrance, giving him a welcome fit for their star fighter. Metal armor clanged loudly as he beat his heavy hand against it, gaining an even louder uproar from the crowd. He let out his own distorted cry, reveling in the praise of the sick animals that surrounded him. B03 merely shook his head in pity for the poor fool. These were the very same kind that had given him his disfigured and ugly appearance and induced the deformity that rendered the teen incapable of speech. How cruel his indoctrination must have been.

"Final bets! Place you're final bets and get ready for the match you've all been waiting for!" Bardus exclaimed, using magic to amplify his voice so it could be heard over his audience. Quickly, everyone quieted down to listen, anxious to hear him announce the start of the fight. "To our right, everypony's favorite reigning champion, Igor!" He shouted, letting the crowd once again burst into applause and cheers. He waited patiently until they died down. "And to our left, the unexpected underdog that has surpassed everypony's expectations thus far, Eob!"

Surprisingly, there seemed to be an almost equal amount of fans rooting for him as there were for Igor, most likely because the odds were against him and it would mean a good payout for those that bet on him. Even so, he caught whiff of Igor growling at him in between all the white noise of the crowd. He gave the overgrown boy a smile, intended to come across as cool and cocky. It had the desired effort. Igor's growl turned into a snarl and he made a move to charge at him.

He was halted by a bolt of magical energy that struck just in front of him, warning him not to advance further.

"Now, now Igor, we know you're eager, but we must all abide by the rules." Bardus tisked playfully. He then addressed the crowd again. "Those of you who wish to provide Igor with his weapon, throw them forth now!"

At once, a shower of metal weapons and tools rained down near their beloved champion, giving him a wide variety to choose from. Igor chuckled in glee, hopping around like an excited little kid as he examined the many instruments of death that littered the floor. Unsurprisingly, he chose a weapon most suited for a brute like him. A large mace. With a mighty heave, he lifted the spiked ball up into the air and brought it crashing down onto the stone floor in a booming crash that vibrated the ground beneath Igor's feet as well as his own. The crowd loved every minute of it.

"An excellent choice for our favorite champ. Now, those who would like to lend aid to Eob, feel free to show your support." Bardus said.

Immediately, he shifted his upper body diagonally to the left as a stone whistled past his head. Other similar objects cut through the air as Igor's supporters tried to land a hit on him, but he dodged them all with relative ease. Some weapons actually were thrown out to him as well, but the pickings was shoddy at best, his selection ranging from a thick sticks that were meant to be used as staffs to well worn and rusty shields. He found the best looking two of the bunch and slipped his arms into the leather straps and lifted the circular discs up to just above waist level. Some of the audience snickered at his choice.

"Heh, look at him, he's already scared. Two shields, hah, they won't last long against Igor."

"Ugh, I should've changed my bet. He might actually live past a minute with those."

"A smart choice, but I doubt it'll do him any good in the end."

Their commentary meant nothing to B03. He'd already started tuning them out. Soon Bardus would fulfill his duty as game master and the only person he would have to focus on would be Igor.

"Combatants!" He shouted. "Ready yourselves…" Igor let out another crude yell, pounding his weapon on the ground in what was probably meant to be an intimidation tactic. Too bad the effect was lost on him. "Fight!"

Not hesitating in the slightest, the big lug charged forward, his stride long as each clap against the stone brought his dangerous foe ever closer. The mace let out a high pitches screech as it's spikes dragged across the stone floor. He stood where he was, motionless, waiting for the moment when he was just about to strike. The mace quit its incessant whine, the blunt object letting out a low whistle as its owner raised it. Just as B03 wanted it.

He dashed forward, entering inside Igor's guard. Ducking as he advanced, feeling the air whip by him as the mace swung harmlessly overhead, he pulled back one of his arms and slammed the sharp circular edges of the shield behind the giant's kneecap. Igor's leg buckled and B003 raised his other shield overhead, absorbing the full weight of his opponent, his right knee shaking from the uneven distribution. It was only for a moment, however, as the monster teen's own momentum carried him over his shield, flopping hard on his back. A soft groan elicited from Igor's throat, but he didn't even give him the opportunity to rise. Quickly, B003 launched himself from his squatting position, flipping over sideways, his foot slamming down into Igor's chest, followed by a knee. He heard what little air the big oaf had left shoot out in a choked gasp as he raised his left shield up and brought it down diagonally towards his neck.

He stopped it hardly an inch before crushing Igor's windpipe.

There was silence in the arena. None of the animals in the crowd uttered a breath, clearly unable to comprehend what has just unfolded in front of their eyes. Their champion was beaten. Not even a half a minute had passed. No doubt they were expecting some long, drawn out battle from him, desperately trying to defend himself with his shields while Igor wailed on him. But, that wasn't how things worked in real life. A real fight almost never went over a minute, unless both parties were exceptionally skilled. Igor had relied on his brute strength alone to win his bouts. That had been his fatal flaw and his undoing.

"W-Well, um," Bardus stammered, clearing his throat to try and dismiss the obvious shock in his voice. "Igor is down and pinned. Eob is the victor." That announcement woke most of the audience from their trances. Suddenly, the crowd turned against their host, shouting all sorts of obscenities and complaints towards him.

"What?! The fight isn't over, it can't be!" One of the ponies shouted.

"I paid ten bits to see this?" Another cried.

"Ten bits, I just lost two hundred because of that little stunt. This is bullshit! The fight was rigged. It had to be." A third pony growled. "Make it official! Death to the loser!"

"Yeah. I didn't come all this way for nothing. I want to see some blood! Death! Death! Death!"

It wasn't long before the words of the few became the words of the many. Soon, the entire crowd was chanting for death to be dealt to the loser. Beneath him, he felt Igor's chest quiver. B003 had kept the shield pressed tightly against Igor's windpipe, the edge digging into his skin enough to drawn blood, but not puncture past the skin. A single movement would be all it would take to sever the connection between his lungs and his mouth.

Igor knew that. That's why his entire body was trembling underneath B003's knee, soft whimpering exiting from his quivering lips. He had no doubt that if the teen had been capable of speech, he would likely be begging for his life right now. Both to the crowd that had not all that long ago been his supporting and loving fans as well as to him, the person who held his fate at the end of a shield. B003 scoffed. How quickly these animal's loyalties changed. To think at one time, they had the gall to have called _us_ the threat.

"Well?" Bardus prodded with a raised eyebrow. "What are you waiting for Eob? Finish it."

B003 listened with a tilted head, then turned his blank gaze back to where Igor's eyes were. The boy was now physically shaking and crying out in small, pleading squeals. If this was directed at Bardus or himself, he couldn't be sure, not that it really mattered. The crowd was getting anxious now, their yells and cries echoing all around them, all prompting death to their old champion. He shook his head. What pitiful creatures these animals were.

With a loud grunt, he lifted up his shield and bashed it hard against the side of Igor's head. He went silent. The ponies around him roared in approval, but this was short lived once one of them spotted that his chest still rose and fell, albeit faintly.

"Enough toying around Eob." Bardus commanded, clearly getting fed up with having to deal with his unruly patrons. "Kill him. Now!"

B003 lifted up his head to him. "No." He declared simply.

There was a pause for a moment, like Bardus couldn't believe that he'd just been stood up to. "Fine." He said, the all too familiar whine of destructive magic building up from his horn. "I'll do it myself!" He fired the magical beam off at Igor. He quickly leapt over, catching the bolt with one of his shields and flinging it back towards the floating pony, but not close enough to hit. Nonetheless, Bardus was furious. "How dare you?! You insolent human, I will see that you are beaten beyond recognition for this! Guards!"

Immediately, he heard both wooden gates creak up and twenty four sets of hooves stampeding towards him. He did not move, instead raising his shields up protectively.

This would likely not end well for him.

 **Hey guys. I know you all are probably getting tired of me posting new stories, but I was struck by inspiration after reading another fanfiction on the site called "Chains" by BookyBrony. Now, I'm not really a Brony or anything like that, heck I haven't even watched MLP before in my life, but after reading his story, the author in me couldn't help but try my own hand at it. Might be slower in updating this one because this is pretty much new territory for me, but I hope you all will enjoy regardless. Please check out this guy's story too if you haven't already.**

 **On a side note, unfortunately, I haven't worked on the virtual novel all that much due to life, starting this story, and a few other things, so I apologize for the stale update. I do aim to get back on it soon.**

 **Like I said, hope you guys enjoy and let me know if you think this is worth continuing. Until next time.**


	2. Slavery or Death

Chapter 2

It was approaching midday and the sun was dipped halfway down the horizon, draping the town of Ponyville in a dusk-like shadow. The timid pony below smiled in silent gratitude for the warmth the sun's rays bestowed on her yellow fur and pink mane. It wouldn't be much longer before the golden sphere completed its journey downward and Equestia would once again be given an early nightfall.

Fluttershy let out a soft sigh as she continued on through the streets. It had been nearly a year now since Nightmare Moon had returned from her thousand year imprisonment and took away Celestia's throne. The former queen now found herself trapped in the same dungeon that she had banished her sister to all those years ago. One that everypony could look upon every night and be reminded that the sun filled, joyous days they'd all loved and had taken for granted were no longer possible.

They had tried to stop it. On that fateful night, Twilight found out where the ancient relics known as the Elements of Harmony were located, in the ancient castle of the royal pony sisters. So, they traveled there, facing many dangerous and frightening hardships on their journey through Evertree Forest. They'd even made it to the castle and found the relics. But, so did Nightamre Moon and before Twilight could ignite them with The Spark, she gathered them up and vanished in a wisp of dark smoke. Thus, their only hope of defeating her was lost.

Still, Twilight refused to give up. Every day she toiled about in the PonyVille library, looking for some clue as to another way to beat Nightmare Moon. Sadly, her efforts were in vain. No other solution seemed to be present. That was why she was here now. She'd discovered something, a mysterious gem that had been hidden away inside a long forgotten and hidden cavern she'd stumbled across on one of her early morning nature walks. How she'd had the courage to venture inside, she didn't know, but she had and something inside her told her that the gem she now housed inside her satchel that hung over her back was more than just a stunning piece of jewelry. She had to know if her hunch was correct and only pony would have the answer for her.

She turned the corner onto Unicorn Lane, spotting the giant oak tree where he friend lived and worked. However, it wasn't quite the wonderful, majestic tree she was used to seeing. The past year of short days and even earlier nights had taken their toll on the broad oak, its outer limbs nearly devoid of leaves and wood cracked in various spots. The damage could be considered small considering the massive size of the tree, but compared to how it once stood, its new appearance was enough to send a pang of sadness through her.

"Slave transport coming through, make way!" A pony sounded off from behind her.

Fluttershy turned, stepping off to the side of the road as two slave driver ponies escorted a wooden cart with a cage full of impoverished, poor looking humans. She wanted to turn away from the atrocity her kind had come to permit, but the morbid and depressed looks on their faces tugged too much at her heartstrings to completely ignore like most of the other ponies in town. All of them were bound in either rope or chains, their clothes tattered and torn horribly in at least one spot or more. Worse still, the slavers didn't even resign themselves to pulling the cart and instead had a group of four humans assigned to that grueling task. Their expressions were strained, chains thrown over their shoulders and attached to their wrists as instruments to pull the cart with. But even they were not as bad off as the one she spotted at the end of the terrible procession.

He was tall for a human, probably a foot taller than her at the least. He didn't seem quite as thin as the others in the cage, but not as muscular as those that were assigned to pulling the cart. He had short, ragged brown hair, as if it were cut haphazardly just for the sake of keeping it short. He was bound by ropes at the wrist, the other end connected to the back of the wooden cart. He stumbled along clumsily, his bindings tugging him forward every time the rope was pulled taut. The human, from what she could observe, was covered in dark purple bruises, welts, and half-formed scabs. And the worst thing about all of it was that he couldn't even see where he was going.

His eyes were covered by a dark gray piece of cloth.

"Come on, move it." The pony at the back end of the slave carriage commanded. A black leather whip hovered at head level, controlled by his magic. She watched in complete horror as he pulled the whip back and struck the human on the back, eliciting a sharp grunt from him as he struggled to stay on his feet. The sadistic slaver pony just grinned and flicked the whip at him again. Luckily, the human stumbled forward due to his bindings and the whip missed its target. "Faster." The pony growled, clearly annoyed that his second shot had missed. Reluctantly, the human picked up his pace.

She felt tears threaten at her orifices and she used one of her front hooves to wipe them away. As much as she hated this and felt for the poor creatures, there wasn't anything she could do. Not by herself.

"Well, hello there beautiful…" Somebody spoke up from next to her. "Haven't seen you around here before."

"Yeah. Why the long face?" Another one asked. "Need someone to show you a good time?"

The shy pony soon found herself surrounded by three mares in dark coated armor, each with an unnerving grin on their faces. "N-No…" She whispered, her voice catching as she felt her heartbeat start to hammer nervously in her chest. "I-I'm just p-passing through…" She said, attempting to bypass the ponies that had cornered her.

"Hey, where'ya goin'?" The third one asked, throwing a hoof over her back, effectively stopping her progress, his voice making her tremble slightly. "Members of the Royal Moon Guard not good enough for ya'?"

"N-No, I d-didn't mean a-anything like that…" Fluttershy stuttered, trying to free herself from the guard's grasp. "I j-just have s-something I h-have to g-get to a f-friend…"

"Oh? And what might that be?" The first guard asked, using his magic to unbuckle her satchel and taking out its only contents. The mare's eyes expanded as he pulled out the gemstone she had found. "Well, well, what's this?"

"W-Wait, that's m-mine…!" She exclaimed softly, reaching up a hoof to try and take it back from the nightmare knight. "P-please…I-It's really i-important…"

"If it's really important to you, then you won't mind joining us for a little bit then, would you?" The second knight grinned. "We'll give it back after a little while."

"Yeah, come with us." The third knight said, reaching out with one of his hooves.

"N-No…!" Fluttershy squeeked, backing away quickly. "I d-don't want t-to go w-with you…P-please…"

The first knight snickered. "Then I guess we'll just hold onto this until you do. Come on guys, let's get out of this dump." He said with a chuckle as the three of them slowly trotted away.

Fluttershy tried to call out to them in protest, but her voice came out barely above a soft cry. A cry that went unheard as the three knights laughed and chatted amongst themselves, moving ever so further away. With a defeated shy, Fluttershy slumped down onto her knees, lowering her head to the ground in shame. She'd allowed herself to be bullied again, to be taken advantage of, to be victimized. Somehow she knew that gem was important to helping her friend Twilight, she just knew it. Yet, she allowed it to be taken away without so much as an argument. Her friends would've been disappointed in her. She was disappointed. Such a pitiful pony.

Suddenly, a surprised yelp echoed out from ahead and she had just enough time to look up and see that the same human from before trip over something and fall to the ground right behind the NightMoon guards. He seemed to shake it off and was in the middle of getting up, but he didn't notice that the cart was still moving and that the rope linking them was about to be… _Thump!_

In one fast, jerky motion, the human was pulled full force into the first knight's form, effectively knocking them both over. She noticed the rear slave driver's eyes go wide and he ordered the cart be stopped. The human, seemingly a little dazed from the crash, wrapped both arms around the pony and attempted to help him up, his mouth muttering what was likely some form of apology. However, the knight wasn't satisfied with just that and her eyes widened as she saw his rear hoof raise up as the human was helping him up the last few inches.

There was another resounding thump as the knight's hoof connected with the boy's stomach, followed by a shout of pain and the human being tossed backwards like a sack of apples. Only, the rope kept him from going very far. He stopped abruptly in midair, resulting in another cry that was then instantly cut short as gravity forced him back down onto cobblestone street. He laid still for a moment, the shock and impact from both hits likely catching up with him, before curling up into a small ball and tried to clutch his stomach. There was, at least, a brief moment of respite for the poor creature since the slave driver was now preoccupied with trying to calm down and apologize to the still raving knight. She was still frozen in place from the absolute blatant amount of cruelty and coldness shown to the helpless human, but could do nothing but watch with the same amount of powerless he was no doubt feeling right now.

Except, she found herself only gaping in astonishment once more.

The human stopped clutching his hands to his stomach. For just a moment, he turned his head directly in her direction and smiled at her, opening up his right hand ever so slightly. It was then that she caught a brief sparkle of blue in low dusk sunlight before he clenched his fist back shut. The slave driver then finished his conversation with the knights and walked back over to the human, giving him a few more lashes with the whip while he was down and then ordering him to get up and continue marching. The human complied.

They soon walked out of sight, leaving Fluttershy still standing where she was, her jaw slack and her mind feeling just as confused as her eyes.

What in Equestia had just happened?

* * *

"Do I hear one hundred bits? One hundred bits from anyone for item number B024? B024 anyone? One hundred bits? Ah, one hundred to the gentlepony in the back. Do I hear one hundred and twenty five? One hundred and twenty…"

Even with the auctioneer separated from him by a foot of thick hardwood and speaking much faster than the average pony, B003 could still make him out clear as day. Or he supposed more accurately, clear as dusk. From what he was told, that was all this land was allowed now. Even so, the gentle glow and heat the sun cast down on his laid out form was enough to bring a small smile to his face. Living underground for a lifetime had given him no opportunity whatsoever to experience something so simple as a sunset. It was too bad it had taken a death sentence to achieve it.

He laid himself down, making sure his entire body would be able to absorb and experience this gift to its full potential. It would be the first and likely the last time he experienced something so heartwarming and peaceful. It didn't bother him that his life would end by the time the ball of fire completed its journey down behind the horizon. He supposed it should have, after all he had fought tooth and nail against those slave ponies in the arena. But then, that wasn't really for him, was it? It had been for someone else. Sadly, in the end, he couldn't save the poor fallen giant. He was executed while he was unconscious, which was probably one of the quickest and painless deaths that any one of the fighters in the arena would've begged for. Igor wouldn't have though. He would've wanted to go down fighting, like he always had and he wasn't even given that opportunity.

Yet, B003 had fought and he was left alive. Brutally beaten and then moderately healed, but alive. Just like the others here.

He could hear them, the slaves. The younger ones whimpered softly in their cages, the fear of knowing that getting too loud could provoke their captors. The older ones sought to provide comfort to their younger, more unfortunate comrades, holding their quivering forms and whisper words of encouragement. Related or not, he could understand their sympathy and want to ease their little one's fears, even though their own hearts were pounding with uncertainly. He would too if he could. If he wasn't isolated in his own little cage.

"Well hello Eob. Enjoying your last precious hour in Equestria?" His brow furrowed at the sound of Bardus's voice as he walked up to the edge of the cage. "Aw, what's wrong? Finally given up, have you? Don't lose heart human. Maybe somebody will buy you and I'll be forced to let you go. But, what's this?" He gasped in mock surprise. "A price of one thousand bits for a feeble, beaten slave?" He clicked his tongue. "I guess you'll be walking to the chopping block come sundown, won't you?" He said with a pleased snicker.

B003 smirked from inside his makeshift prison. "Too bad you can't do the honors yourself, huh?" he said, sitting up and moving right up against the bars, inches away from Bardus. "Not without your horn anyway."

That struck a chord and B003 jumped back just as Bardus sent a harsh double kick to the bars of the gate. "You blasted, arrogant human! I'm going to enjoy watching you die! And you're lucky I'm not the one doing the execution because I would give you such a slow death that you'd be begging me to kill you by the time we were through!" Bardus shouted, trying to use his stump of a horn to generate a magical beam. All that came were sparks that crackled harmlessly on the ground.

He growled silently while B003 resumed his earlier position in the middle of the cage. "You know, I'm surprised your magic isn't sophisticated enough to regrow something as simple as a horn." He said, letting a content grin come over his lips for Bardus to see. "But hey, at least you'll have something to remember me by." He chuckled as Bardus struck the steel bars yet again in a vain exertion of anger and rage.

"Laugh while you still can human. I guarantee mine will be the last thing you ever hear." He spat before turning tail and strutting off noisily.

He waited until Bardus was out of range before letting a heavy sigh escape his lips. Even though he'd told himself he wasn't really bothered by his imminent execution, that wasn't the whole truth. Or course it couldn't be. Who wouldn't be afraid of their own end, especially when they knew it was coming? He was no different from any other human being. However, the loss of his life mattered very little to him. After all, his kind in this world were valued just barely above a household object, he been taught as much. The difference was a household object couldn't achieve things and even though his existence thus far had been trying, he'd always had a purpose to keep him going. To keep him fighting.

Back in the Underground, strength was the only form of self worth that the ponies recognized. Fight well in the arena and you'd be rewarded. Fail and you would be punished. It was a simple, cruel system. With his disability, he'd all but been counted out by the wardens. Instead of killing him outright though, Bardus had thought it would be more entertaining to pit him against another fighter in a death match. It should've been easy, the outcome already decided before the match had even begun. And when Bardus started the fight, he'd shown them all just how wrong they were. His opponent was beaten in right after the first move. That was when he become the self-proclaimed underdog of the Underground.

He was pitted in fight after fight, opponent after opponent. Some matches lasted longer than others, but he always ended up on top and he was rewarded accordingly. His food portions were always more than adequate, he was allowed a mattress instead of the hard, cold stone most of the others were forced to sleep on, heck he was even offered women from time to time. Not that he ever partook in that sort of thing. Frankly, the idea of such a ludicrous 'prize' disgusted him. Most of his late night visitors agreed. Even so, these perks were exactly what kept him going. Because the unlucky ones that performed badly often needed someone to help them out. He never ate all the food he was given and instead gave it to those who he knew were being deliberately starved. His mattress often served as a resting spot for the fighters who had taken some of the more crippling injuries, but were deemed ok to fight after a week of downtime. Like that was ever enough time…

His purpose, as small and stupid as it might've been, was caring for his fellow inmates. He tried to make their lives more bearable, God knows they deserved better. His whole race deserved better. At one time he wanted his purpose to be much grander, to play a role in ending these injustices among his people, however it had to come about. But, he found that what he was already doing was tough as it was. Between standing up to the wardens and receiving more beatings than he could count in order to try and deter their attention to him, it was straining enough. Oh, they healed him afterwards of course. Wouldn't want their star fighter to be out of the ring too long, now would they? Regardless, that single job had been everything to him. It was his reason to live. Now that it was gone, well, it kind of made his life mute to him.

He still didn't necessarily want to die, but to instead be forced to be another pony's possession and/or plaything for the rest of his life, he'd rather face the ax and the chopping block. That wasn't a cause worth living for.

"E-Excuse me…" He caught, as voice so low that had to be almost impossible for anyone else to hear spoke to him. "U-um…I-I'm sorry for d-disturbing you, b-but I had a s-small question to a-ask. I-If that's okay…"

He got up on his knees and turned to face his new visitor, not that it really did much of anything besides make it easier to address her. This provoked an audible gasp from the pony across from him and he couldn't stop himself from smirking. He supposed he must have looked intimidating if he was eliciting that sort of response. "Sure, ask away." He said nonchalantly, leaning back on his hands to get more comfortable.

Again, the pony appeared nervous, her hooves fidgeting back and forth on the dirt floor. "W-Well…I k-know this seems v-very unlikely, b-but, um, w-when you bumped into those s-soldiers, I t-thought I saw you p-pick something up…"

To say B003 was surprised was a bit of an understatement. He was flabbergasted. Not that she saw what he'd done, no, of course he'd deliberately made sure she'd seen his deed. But wow, this pony, she had to be one of most timid and nervous ones he'd ever met. Stuttering to a human, now that was new. Even more so, the tone of her voice was soft and quiet, as if going above a whisper would somehow shatter her vocal chords. He wanted to laugh at the audacity of it all but he was afraid that might scare her off. How absolutely hilarious!

Though he tried, he couldn't stop a small chuckle from leaving his throat. "You think after getting kicked in the stomach and flying into the pavement that I would've had time to pick something up?" He asked, unable to stop himself from teasing the mystery pony.

"Oh, r-right. I-I'm sorry, I-I didn't mean to r-remind you of that a-awful experience. I'm r-really sorry. I'll just l-leave you a-alone then, sorry…" She muttered and actually started _walking_ away!

"Wait!" He whispered harshly, causing the pony to jump and utter a quiet yelp, which B003 was having trouble deciding whether that was funny or cute. The thought brought another grin to his face as he reached inside his raggedy shirt, grasping the gem in his hand. "I was just trying to get one more good laugh." He said guiltily, lowing his cupped fist to the ground and opening his hand just enough so the pony in front of him could see it clearly. "I believe this is what you're talking about, right?"

Again, the pony let out another high pitched gasp that he decided he was indeed going to label as cute, for a pony anyway. "Y-Yes!" She squeaked and he felt the object immediately lifted out his hands by soft hooves and quickly tucked away inside a bag she was wearing across her back before anyone could see. "T-Thank you so m-much!" She stammered out. Man, even when she was expressing gratitude too huh? What a strange pony.

"No problem." He said, turning away from her and laying out on the stiff straw beneath him for the third time today. "Try not to let anyone take it from you this time, huh?" He said as a closing quip, insinuating the end of their little conversation. Sure enough, she didn't speak again, but he hadn't heard her trot away yet. He gave her a few seconds, then a few more. There was still silence. He listened intently and he could just make out the sound of the pony silently chewing on her bottom lip. "There something else you wanted to say?"

"U-uh…" She stuttered uncertainly, "I-I was just w-wondering, um, w-why? Why d-did you h-help me?"

He shrugged. "Dunno." He responded. "Maybe it was because I felt like I wanted to do one last good thing before my time in Equestria is up. Maybe it was because I'm an idiot. Or maybe," He started with another smirk, "It was because I like helping cute ponies in distress like yourself."

"C-Cute?!" She exclaimed and B003 couldn't help it. He let out a long, good laugh. She'd taken that one hook, line, and sinker hadn't she? Phew, he hadn't laughed like that in ages. She seemed to catch on that the last reason he'd said had just been to mess with her and she spoke up again. "What did y-you mean by t-that?"

"What? That you were cute? Well, everyone can seem that way under a blindfold, don't you think?" He said with a chuckle.

"N-No. I meant, w-what did you m-mean you wanted to d-do one last good t-thing before you left E-Equestria?" She clarified, be it ever so softly.

"Oh, that." He murmured. Geez, why had he even said that first one? "Well, it's probably because I'm going to be scheduled for my execution after the sun sets."

"W-What?!" She exclaimed, again letting out another high pitched squeal. "B-But you're on the m-market to become a s-ssslla…" She didn't finish the rest of her sentence, somehow seemingly bothered by calling the atrocity for what it was. That was nothing special though. Most of the ponies had their own poofy words for slaves. Servant, indentured worker, pet, the list went on.

"Yeah, that's just Bardus's 'attempt'," He emphasized the word with over dramatized finger quotations, "At trying to please his boss and trying to make some money off of me instead of just having me killed." He waved his hand dismissively. "You know how it is, I'm sure. Better to try and get something for us before tossing us out. Not that I don't doubt the price he's asking is way too high that no pony in their right mind would pay. Especially considered how roughed up the 'merchandise' is."

Sure enough, she read off the price board that was next to his cage. "O-one thousand b-bits!" She gasped. Huh, so Bardus must have been lying a bit about the price huh? Hah, what a petty way blow. Not that the price was still any less audacious."T-That's completely unfair! N-No pony would b-buy you at that r-ridiculous price." Then, realization hit her and he could audibly tell with the sharp intake of breathe she took before stammering out the obvious question. "D-Does he w-want you to d-die?"

"Bingo." He said, placing his hand behind his head. "I kind of did something to make him mad, so this is his way of making me pay for it."

"B-But, that's n-not right!" She cried, nearly getting up to a normal volume. B003 was amazed her voice could actually reach it.

"Yeah, well, unfortunately he can get away with it." He sighed. "Just the way the world is. Now, I suggest you should get going before any of the other ponies around start getting suspicious of why you've spent so much time talking to me. Wouldn't want them to find out about my little theft eh?"

He heard her mouth start to open like she was going to say something more, but she didn't. Instead, he heard her turn around and dart quickly off towards the entrance. He was a little startled that she took off so quickly, but he soon shrugged it off and went back to his sunbathing. What a peculiar pony, he thought to himself. He almost couldn't believe that she'd actually tried to have a conversation with him. Most of the others that came up to his cage just scoffed and walked off as if he wasn't even worth a passing glance. He wouldn't lie, it was nice for once not to be treated like trash from another pony.

He was happy he'd helped her. She definitely seemed like she deserved it. He could be satisfied with his last deed.

Slowly, B003 felt the warmth from the sun's rays dissipate more and more as the hours ticked by. It was getting closer and closer to what would eventually be his final moments on Equestria. What would he do? Would he try and give some kind of half-assed final speech against pony kind, denouncing this kind of treatment to his people? Nah, probably not. They wouldn't listen anyway.

He supposed he could try and fight back against the guards that would be escorting him to the public spot he was going to be killed at, but then, was there really a point in that either? No doubt other guards around the area would take him down after the first few swings and maybe even the other ponies too. He had no weapons or effective means of defending himself. No way to put up any sort of real opposition. So, that just left walking up to the chopping block with what little dignity he had left then. Oh, joy.

"Well miss, I'm afraid you've come a bit late, but you can still certainly have your pick of the remaining items around if one pleases you." He heard the auctioneer from before say boisterously. "Might even knock the price down as a special closeout deal for ya too."

"T-Thank you m-mister, but," He shot up instantly at the sound that shy pony's voice. "I a-already know which o-one I think I w-want." She whispered.

"Wonderful. And which one would that be little miss?" He asked, no doubt with a hearty smile.

He heard her hooves approach his cage and was utterly taken aback by the next words that came out from her mouth.

"I," She started, gulping as she raised her eyes up to him. "I would like t-this one. P-Please."

 **Hey everyone! I know I've been a little slow to update and that's because I've made another new decision and a new project. I know, I'm just bouncing around everywhere aren't I? But I have decided that I should probably hold off on the virtual novel for right this minute and focus my efforts on finishing A New Kind Of Game. Here's the catch though. I'm going back over it a third time and going to attempt to make it kid to teenager appropriate to see if I can market it as a fan book. Haven't read the Microsoft terms and agreement on marketing something related to their game, but the last time I did look at it, it would be allowed so long as certain rules were followed. So, I'm gonna take a look again and edit the story out and finish it. At the very least I'll finally have some motivation to finish it. In the meantime I'll be updating this story and the Starfox one for your pleasure on this site. Hope you enjoy and thank you Miss Electricity for being my first reviewer on my previous chapter. I am glad you weren't deterred by the sudden change in pace and I love the pun. Hope this chapter meets your approval as well! As for others who may be tuning in, don't be afraid to leave me a comment or critique! I do love hearing from you all, even if some of its bad. :P**

 **Until next time.**


	3. Bought

Chapter 3

"No"

Fluttershy almost couldn't believe the single, unexpected response from the human in front of her. "W-What?" She gasped, trying to keep her voice from cracking.

"I said, no!" The human spoke assertively, raising his voice,like and causing her to reflexively hunch down a little. "I refuse to be somepony else's-Agggh!" All of a sudden, the human dropped down onto the ground, grasping tightly at the metal collar strapped around his neck. Touching it only worsened the effect though, the electricity within only spreading to his body faster. He rolled and flopped around in his cage in a vain effort to wrestle the collar off, shouting in pain the entire time. Then, he stopped and laid still on the ground, huffing and puffing harshly as he looked back up at them.

"Now, now, is that any way to talk to a lady?" The auctioneer tisked, his horn emanating a soft glow. "This pretty young miss says she's willing to buy you and if I were you, well, I'd show some respect.

The human grinned. "Fuck yo-" The auctioneer didn't even let him finish his sentence. With a tip of his head, his horn lit up, magic responding to the with the space collar. Again, the human was forced down to his knees as he fought against the urge to grab at it, kicking and screaming violently as the auctioneer revved up the voltage.

"W-Wait! P-Please stop!" Fluttershy found herself screeching, surprising both her and the auctioneer present. He shrugged and killed the magic in his horn, allowing the human to once again slump down to the floor, gasping for air. She knelt down to his level, wanting nothing more than to comfort the tortured soul in front of her, but the bars that separated them would not allow it.

"Are you sure you want this one miss?" The auctioneer asked with a raised eyebrow. "I'm sure with the price you'd be paying, we could find you some more," He snorted, "Obedient company."

"N-No, that's alright." She said hastily, opening her bag and taking out a brown bag full of gold bits. "This should cover IT?!" She yelled, feeling the human's hand grip tightly on one of her hooves.

"N-No…" He grunted, this time his voice took on a more pleading tone. "If you want to help someone, there's women, children, families here that you could buy with that. Please, leave me be-aaggh!" He was cut off by a third jolt of electricity. This one must have been much more powerful than the previous two, because he only cried out once before his head snapped back and he hit the cage floor. He remained there, motionless, face half buried in a pile of hay. Fluttershy stared in bewilderment, then terror at the possibility that she had just gotten him killed. She was speechless.

"Hmm, slave's a lot tougher than most of the other's I've had to use these collars on." The auctioneer chuckled. "He might be of use to you yet." He used his horn to take control of the bag with the payment and gave it a little jiggle before tucking it away safely in his own satchel. It was only afterwards that he noticed her shocked expression. "Don't worry miss, he's only unconscious. We'll have him completely healed before you go. Free of charge of course and…"

She hardly heard him, her eyes still locked on the human's frozen figure. His chest rose and fell, but just barely. His breathes came out quick and shallow with lengthy pause in between each gulp. He was in pain, even if he couldn't register it. His last words rang out in her head in a never-ending loop and she couldn't help but feel guilty at what she was doing. It was true, she could have bought a small family, maybe, for what she had paid for him. But as she looked around at the surrounding slave's, most of them purposefully avoiding her wandering gaze, she could tell none of them were in as bad a shape as the one lying down in front of her. And if what he said was true and he really was going to be sentenced to death if he wasn't bought, she would feel even more racked with guilt and shame for not helping him. Especially after he'd risked his own life to steal back her gemstone. No, this was the right thing to do, she could feel it in her gut. No matter what, she was going to repay this young human's kindness.

Suddenly, she felt a hooveland on her shoulder and she let out a startled eek before she realized it was just the auctioneer again. "Are you alright miss?" He asked, showing a little concern over his normal business-like attitude.

"Y-Yes. I'm fine, thank you. I-I'm sorry, I d-didn't mean to ignore you. What was it you were you saying?" She said, turning her back on the human and giving her full attention back to the auctioneer.

"I was just saying we should go ahead and fill out the proper paperwork." He said with a small smile, gesturing over to a nearby office. Fluttershy nodded, but couldn't help but look back one more time at her soon to be slave. She shivered at the thought of calling him that. "Don't worry miss, we'll fix him up right as rain before we hand him over to you. Now, if you'll just follow me, we can link your magical energy with a new collar and get the business part of this all sorted out."

The whole process took longer than she initially expected, but they did finally leave Ponyville's market and she eventually made it to the edge of Evergreen forest. She instantly spotted the worn dirt pathway, made by her many trips to and from town and began traveling it. It was one of the few safe roads that would lead her home. Dusk had come and gone, the moon once again taking up its prolonged residence in the sky. Most ponies would probably be worried about roaming the forest at night, but she didn't really mind. Timber wolves and other predators of the forest tended to dwell deeper inside and she lived on the outskirts. She rarely ever saw one and even if she did, the animals of the forest were always watching. They'd surely warn her of any coming danger.

Even at night, Fluttershy could not deny the beauty of her natural surroundings. It had just rained recently, her sensitive wings picking up on the increased humidity in the air. Moonlight peeked through the cracks in the treetops like curtains, their spotlights shining down on the flowers and greenery below. The pale spotlights reflected brilliantly off their rain pellets, making them sparkle like stars. The sight was enough to send a small flutter through her stomach and she marveled at the forest's theatrical presentation. She only wished that the human lying across her back was awake to see it too.

He'd been out cold for two whole hours now without so much as a stir and even after being healed by the pony nurses, he still remained like this. The nurses themselves even found it a bit odd. His vitals were normal for a human's and a shock from the collar was never intended to put someone out like that in the first place. Well, at least not at the average dose. That would be counterproductive to the purpose of disciplining a…slave.

They'd summed it up to the assumption that, based on his numerous injuries he'd had inflicted on him before treatment, his body was likely weak before he absorbed the first shock, let alone the other two higher doses. The nurses assured her that he would likely recover before the night was through, so she wouldn't have to worry about a 'loss on her investment'. Hearing that had made her cringe a little. How could they say something like that about another living, breathing being? So nonchalantly, like it was completely normal to address them like a piece of equipment or property, it was enough to make her fume with frustration. Yet, she had said nothing. Too afraid of what they might think, too afraid to be labeled as an Abo. And she knew all too well the dangers that came with such a label.

She shook her head, repressing those haunting memories before they could surface, choosing instead to focus on her attention back on the path ahead. She watched the surrounding brush and tree lines for any evidence of movement, making sure that if something lurked beyond their green canopies, she'd be ready to bolt. She was a very fast runner, much better at that than fighting. So long as nothing got the drop on her, she could get away.

It seemed almost ironic that a pony like her would end up living in one of the most dangerous places in Equestria. Her friends often expressed their concerns with her living in such a place, especially now since the prolonged nights and absence of daylight acted as a catalyst for the nocturnal predators. But she wasn't worried about animals. She'd always had a way with them. The unnatural beasts always posed a threat, but even so, she loved her cozy cottage too much to leave it.

Suddenly, the human on her back stirred, groaning and causing her to jump slightly after traveling in relative silence. Unfortunately for him, that movement caused him wake in the worst way possible. Before she could prepare herself or try to help her poor companion, she felt his weight shift quickly to her right. Much too quickly for her to correct. She felt the human slip away from her bare back and she shut her eyes in mute apprehension, awaiting the hard thump that was to come.

 _Thud!_

"Hnnh…Agh…" She heard the surprised human grunt and she opened her eyes to see him sprawled on his side, rubbing the back of his head, teeth clenched. "Wha…?" He muttered, tilting his head up and moving it around ever so slightly. Fluttershy remained silent for a moment while the human's face scrunched up in concentration and he listened to his surroundings. "A forest? How did I-" Without another word, his head shot over to her. "Right," He sighed, rising up to his feet and dusting himself briefly before refocusing his blindfolded gaze on her. "You."

She didn't know what to be startled about first. The fact that the human in front of her was standing with his arms crossed and staring at her with an uncomfortable looking frown on his face or the fact that he was actually _staring_ right at her. Through his blindfold! "U-Um…yes?" She stuttered uncertainly, feeling the societal hierarchy between ponies and humans being flipped on her in no time at all.

He broke his gaze, instead choosing to look at the grass floor, though she noticed his hands tighten on his arms. "I thought I told you not to buy me." He stated, his low voice and frustrated undertone betraying any notion that it was ever meant as a question.

"B-But, you were going to d-die…!" She stammered, trying to raise her voice in an attempt to defend her decision she thought was right. But, it barely came out any louder than it normally did. She turned her head, annoyed with herself at her botched attempt at being assertive. "And…y-you helped me get my gem back. I-I just couldn't sit b-by and let that happen…" Her voice lowered even more as she finished that last sentence. She was certain it probably didn't get across to him and again, she wanted to kick herself for her lack of confidence.

He didn't say anything, in fact, he hadn't even seemed to acknowledge her comments at all. Maybe he hadn't heard her? She took a chance, turning back to face him. He was in the same position as before, except she'd noticed his left hand was gripping his right arm much harder than before. He muttered something to himself, but it was too quiet for her to make out. Then, he let out a long sigh, his arms relaxing down by hips. "I guess it doesn't matter now anyway. What's done is done." He said, the corner of his mouth curling up ever so slightly. "Heh, at least this will really piss of Bardus."

She took the risk of relaxing a little, then an even bigger one by slowly approaching the human. His head never left hers. If she could see his eyes, she might have even wagered that his eyes were lined up with hers too. She was now suddenly very grateful for the ash colored blindfold that covered his face. "I-I really am sorry…" She tried once more, her voice possible breaking the audible spectrum. "I only wanted to help…"

The human in front of her maintained head contact for another moment, inadvertently tilting his head down a little as she spoke as if he had tried to hear her. Then, he let out another long sigh. "It's like I said, it doesn't matter now. Pointless to keep talking about it." He replied, crossing his arms again, his voice hard as he turned away with a deep frown. "Anyway, I assume you were taking me to your home?"

"O-Oh! Y-Yes, its this way. P-Please stay close…" She said, slowly walking and taking the lead. It was only after the first few steps that she stopped, realizing the human wouldn't be able to check for loose rocks or roots as he walked, which were plentiful along the path. "U-Um, there's a lot of roots and foiliage here. D-Do y-you need a…" She trailed off, embarrassed at having to mention his obvious disability.

"I'm fine." He replied, his tone still hard, maybe even a little bit more so. "I can follow the sound of your steps."

And so they continued on, a thick silence dropping over their travels. The tension between them was plenty palpable, the human following few feet behind her. Every so often, she'd look over her shoulder, trying to use the utmost of her peripheral vision to glance over without turning her head fully. He never tripped, never stumbled, and he always looked straight ahead. He never uncrossed his arms and she hadn't seen that frown inch away at all.

She supposed she couldn't really judge him. She'd witnessed firsthand just how he had been treated by the slave drivers alone, let alone countless other times she likely didn't know about. Even so, she found herself wishing that he had maybe been a little happier about her saving him from death row. Not because she felt she wanted gratitude or praise. No, she wasn't a great recipient of that as it was. What bothered her the most about his reaction was that it seemed to express even the tiniest sliver of joy at still being alive. And the implications that could follow that was more of a worrying concern than a desire for thanks.

The rest of their journey was uneventful, something Fluttershy thanked Celestia for as the bushy green canopy of her house came into view. Almost immediately a rush of forest animals came out from the treeline to greet her. Birds swooped down, tweeting happily at her return. Rabbits and squirrels skittered around her legs as she walked, causing her to chuckle and even the butterflies had come out today to send their greetings. She made sure to offer her thanks and return the generous welcome she'd received from her woodland friends.

However, she stopped in her tracks as she realized all this noise would be alarming to someone who couldn't see and turned back to the human behind her, ready to explain. That was when she saw yet another surprising occurrence. The human behind her was knelt down onto the ground, a gentle hand outstretched to a small bunny that was only a foot or so away. What's more…he was smiling. A genuine, comforting smile, flashing just the faintest glimpse of white teeth made the previous image the young human had presented fade away as if he never existed. Slowly, with a little hesitation, the bunny moved over towards his hand, but stopped and looked over in her direction as if asking if this new creature was ok to approach. She smiled back at him and gave an encouraging nod. The bunny moved closer and bopped his forehead against the human's waiting palm. In response, he gave it a gentle pet, using three of his fingers to send a few gentle caresses off the top of his head. In that moment, he looked content and showcased the first sign of happiness she had seen from him all day.

But just as quick as it had come, it vanished as he rose to his feet and assumed his previously held frown. He looked towards her expectantly and nodded his head in the direction of her house expectantly. Any indication of that moment of content delight disappeared as if they'd never existed.

With a soft sigh, Fluttershy led him the rest of the way to her house.


End file.
